


What Makes a Warrior [Mako Mori Appreciation Week 2020]

by eadreytheiptscray



Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, Mako Mori Appreciation Week 2020, Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018) Fix-It, Post-Canon, Post-Movie: Pacific Rim (2013)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:35:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 2,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23741656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eadreytheiptscray/pseuds/eadreytheiptscray
Summary: The world knows her as Tokyo's Daughter, and the PPDC knows her as the Mark III Restoration Project's team lead. But those titles don't define Mako Mori. These things do.
Comments: 24
Kudos: 13





	1. Recognition

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of [TheLOCCENT](https://theloccent.tumblr.com/)'s Mako Mori Appreciation Week.
> 
> Today's prompt: Favorite Mako moment

The pencil tip shattered as Mako carved another X into her score sheet. 

"Four points to two," she said, failing to tone down the irritation in her voice. _Mr. Becket does the bare minimum to win. Surely now Sensei will see that he isn't the right man for this mission._

Mr. Becket seemed just as irritated, but what could possibly be bothering him? "You don't like 'em?"

"Excuse me?"

"Every time a match ends, you make this little gesture." He punctuated the last word with a sneer. "Like you're critical of their performance."

"It's not their performance, it's yours. You could have taken all of them two moves earlier."

"You think so?"

"I know so." She turned to Sensei, but Mr. Becket wasn't done yet.

"Can we change this up? How about we give her a shot?"

The idea of winning a match with a seasoned (albeit rusty) pilot was tantalizing. Then she would prove once and for all that she belonged in a jaeger. And maybe she wanted to knock Mr. Becket down a few pegs—why deny it?

Where her logic failed, though, Mr. Becket's emotional reasoning won out. With the marshal's permission, she ditched her clipboard and took up a hanbō. Everything outside the ring disappeared as she sauntered to her side of the mat. It hardly seemed like a fair fight, but if Mr. Becket thought so little of the candidates she'd hand-picked, then someone should teach him to be more respectful.

"Remember, it's a dialogue, not a fight," Mr. Becket said. "But I'm not going to dial down my moves."

"Okay," she replied. "Then neither will I."

She made the first move, sizing Mr. Becket up as he approached. His hanbō whistled through the air and stopped inches from her forehead, but it would take more than that to intimidate her.

"One-zero," he chided, but Mako didn't want him savoring the taste of victory. Her first impression registered as intended; his eyes widened, and he stepped back.

She smirked. "One-one."

Her gloating costed her a point.

"Two-one. Concentrate."

The formalities were over. They rushed for each other, hammering out a rhythm of attacks and blocks until Mr. Becket hit the mat with a _whump_.

"Two-two," she said breathlessly.

Sensei's voice interrupted their conversation. " _Miss Mori, more control_." She took a deep breath to calm her racing heart.

They found their rhythm again, anticipating each other's strikes and footwork to the point that neither of them could exploit a weakness. Eventually, though, the seasoned pilot got the upper hand, mirroring Mako's previous winning move by throwing her onto the mat.

She jumped to her feet in an instant, and the dance resumed. _So this is like Drifting._

Mr. Becket's smirk when she took him down again, earning the final point, confirmed they had the same thought.

Although Mako wouldn't find out until much later that she'd accomplished both goals in winning that match, she realized she'd earned an ally when Mr. Becket declared, "she's my co-pilot."


	2. Laughter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today's prompt: Laughter

The only happy memories Mako had were from her childhood. Growing up during a war and losing both parents in an instant made for a serious and foreboding existence. Drifting with Raleigh reminded her that there had been times where people felt carefree, but it still seemed like a dream.

So in the aftermath of Operation Pitfall, with Raleigh safe (and alive!) in her arms and the Breach sealed, she was surprised to hear her own laugh again. She and Raleigh were still giggling when the strike crew hauled them out of the Pacific Ocean.

Despite the many tragedies—most of all the loss of her Sensei—Mako found so many reasons to laugh again. Relieved laughter came when the decompression and radiation sickness finally subsided. Giddy laughter during the many post-war parties made her go weak in the knees long before the champagne. Even forced laughter to appease investors in the recently re-funded Jaeger Program brightened her day.

Even though the lighthearted moments were few and far between, at least for the first few months, the fact that she could find some reason to laugh at all made it all okay.


	3. Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today's prompt: Favorite relationship(s)
> 
> Inspired by the one quote from the "Pacific Rim Uprising" universe I consider canon:
> 
> "[Mako] had grown up believing that one day she would climb into a Jaeger and kill those enemies. And she had, and so doing she had found something infinitely precious. Raleigh." — from "Pacific Rim Uprising Ascension" by Greg Keyes

A night without the threat of kaiju was cause for a celebration, and in the weeks following Operation Pitfall, every night was marked by extravagant parties all around the world.

The parties at Hong Kong Shatterdome were lively affairs drenched in booze and neon lights and bass-heavy music in various languages. The only peace and quiet to be found was on the deserted helipad.

And that's where Raleigh and Mako fled.

"Tell me about your family," he said after the sea breeze finished whispering around them.

They didn't need to talk about what they'd seen in the Drift, but they enjoyed doing it, anyway.

"Tamsin," she began, "was like a sister to me. She was impulsive and fearless—I wanted to be like her. On my 16th birthday I dyed my hair blue, and I kept it because…" She laughed. "Because she said it made me look badass."

Mako twisted the cobalt strands between her fingers. "Losing her felt like losing my parents."

Raleigh, who was no stranger to losing parents or a sibling, nodded somberly.

She sighed and soldiered on. "Jake was like Sensei's shadow. He was not as reckless as Tam, but he always found himself in trouble. You know the rest."

The Drift had dredged up flashes of Jake's twisted expression, the aftermath of what Sensei would later describe as an inexcusable outburst. Mako had later explained to Raleigh that Sensei had kicked his own son out of the Jaeger Program for attempting to pilot a jaeger solo. She hadn't heard from her brother in years.

"And Sensei…"

She swallowed a sob and curled her knees up to her chest. Talking about Sensei was so painful, and she imagined the ache in her chest would only worsen in the immediate future. She leaned into Raleigh's comforting embrace, glad to know she wasn't the only one shouldering the burden of grief.

After a comfortable silence, Raleigh asked, "How does it feel knowing you've beaten them?"

 _For my family!_ rang in her ears. And that's when it clicked, why she'd seen flashes of him and Yancy and so many other jaeger pilots in the Drift. She considered them family.

"When I was a teenager," Mako replied, "I swore to avenge my parents. I thought the kaiju had taken everything from me. But I gained another family in Sensei and Tam and Jake… and in the PPDC."

She glanced at her co-pilot in the darkness. Moonlight glinted off his ocean-blue eyes, which were gazing fondly back at her. 

"And I found something infinitely more precious."


	4. Resilience

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today's prompt: "Warmth"
> 
> Inspired by concept art from "Pacific Rim: Man, Machines & Monsters" of a flower blooming on the Shatterdome rampart walls. (There's a relevant quote floating around online somewhere, but I don't have the patience to find it.)

Water lapped around the jaeger launch bay, from which weeks ago Lady Danger and Striker Eureka had stepped into the unknown. Operation Pitfall still clung to Mako like a bad dream, so it was hard to accept that she'd survived. That she had a future to look forward to.

But what was a jaeger pilot to do in a world without jaegers? What was she to do in a world without Sensei?

 _Keep calm and carry on_ , chided a Sensei of distant memory, and she managed to smile. He told her once that the phrase had been used to raise morale among his countrymen during World War II. The sentiment applied now—be resilient no matter the circumstances. 

To a child of war, resilience was second-nature. But what good was it in a time of peace?

A flash of yellow caught Mako's eye. Looking down, she saw a tiny flower blossoming in a crack in the concrete wall. In its infancy a storm surge could have swept it away, but there hadn't been a strong storm in weeks. And judging by the snaking roots, which no doubt had grabbed hold of everything solid in the calm to weather the next storm, that flower wouldn't be lost so easily to the tide.

"There you are," Raleigh said. "Can I join you?"

She nodded, and her co-pilot took his usual place at her right. The sea was calm today, and the warm sun and refreshing breeze promised a pleasant spring. It would be welcome after such a harsh winter.

"I know that look. What's on your mind?"

Mako turned away from the flower to meet Raleigh's eyes. "Hope."


	5. Friendship

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today's prompt: Birthday

Raleigh seemed giddier than usual as they walked to the restaurant—he kept looking down at her and grinning. 

"You have a terrible poker face," Mako said. "No wonder you're so bad at keeping secrets."

"It doesn't help that you've been in my head," he teased. "At least act surprised for Tendo's sake."

"Ah, so it is a surprise party!"

"Oops."

"Don't worry," she said as they headed inside. "Your secret is safe with me."

So maybe she over-acted the part, but at least Tendo seemed none the wiser. She took her seat at the head of the table, and Raleigh nodded _thank you_ as he slid in next to her.

The restaurant was a hole-in-the-wall place Tendo must have found ages ago, considering how familiar he was with the staff. He'd somehow managed to get the whole restaurant reserved just for the surprise party. After weeks of attending press conferences, decommissioning Hong Kong Shatterdome, and relocating Pons technology to various organizations, Mako was glad to have a night off.

It was the most fun Mako had had in awhile. She laughed until she cried at Tendo and Raleigh sharing stories from the glory days, each trying to one-up the other with another embarrassing story at his friend's expense. Catching up with her friends from the Mark III Restoration Project was a treat, as they were tying up loose ends with the Jaeger Program and moving on to brighter futures across the globe. She was especially glad that Herc seemed to be enjoying himself, considering he'd been shoved into a weighty role after losing his old friend and young son in the same day.

After several rounds of pitchy karaoke, the night ended with a strawberry shortcake, a treat Mako had thought she would never enjoy again. 

"Make a wish!" Tendo said as the rest of her friends crooned happy birthday. 

With a quick glance around the table, she closed her eyes and blew out the 22 candles in one breath. She teared up at the taste of the moist sponge cake, sugary icing, and tangy strawberries.

"So what did you wish for?" Raleigh asked on their way back to the apartment. "I won't tell."

"Then it won't come true," she teased. 

But truthfully, after spending a birthday she never thought she'd see in the company of close friends, her wish had already come true.


	6. Service

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today's prompt: Favorite Mako headcanon

_Tatara satetsu and patience_ , her father said many years ago, covering young Mako's hands with his calloused ones to help her make her first blade. 

Years later, his memory guided her: _Break the kera. Find the three steels. Fold the steel sixteen times and forge-weld it sixteen times._

The Moris had forged steel for twenty generations. Mako hoped one day she could live up to the legacy her father had passed on to her. 

_Who said the Moris wouldn't have any more sword-makers?_ Raleigh's admiration had sparked this new hobby, which turned into an apprenticeship and later a career—after the PPDC dissolved, Mako found herself with no jaegers to work on. Retirement suited Raleigh, who had earned his right to a peaceful life years ago, but not her.

It wasn't long before she and Raleigh had built a forge behind their modest home. It wasn't the forge of a warrior; the steel that emerged from the fire would be forged into tools or household items. At least at first. In the months leading up 2030, Mako worked diligently to craft katanas she hoped her fathers would be proud of.

On the anniversary of Operation Pitfall, she presented the first sword to her Sensei's empty grave. And on the anniversary of Onibaba's attack on Tokyo, she gifted the second to her biological father.


	7. Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today's prompt: Family
> 
> This is basically a continuation of chapter 3 ("Family"). Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy!

_Without the kaiju, I would still have a family._

This thought had been an unwelcome present during Mako's first birthday without her parents, and it defined her teenage years. Over time, she had grown to love her Sensei and his son and his co-pilot, but there were so many days where she wished she could turn back time.

Avenging her parents became the driving force behind her joining the Jaeger Program. Sensei, who had lost his father at her age and was nearly consumed by toxic grief, supported her in her productive endeavors.

Tamsin Sevier made up for Sensei's lack of enthusiasm about her advancing to the front lines. She sparred with Mako when Sensei was too busy, and she helped her study for the many rigorous tests while learning English. Not even chemo and bed rest could stop Tam from supporting Mako (and encouraging the young girl to get up to mischief).

Jake couldn't fathom what Mako had gone through as a child, but he took her under his wing the moment Pentecost adopted her. Despite Mako being older (and taller) than her adopted brother, she looked up to him—even if she was disappointed that he lost his way. 

It wasn't until Otachi was dangling Lady Avenger above Earth that Mako realized the kaiju had given her more than they had taken.

"For my family!" She shouted as she brandished the Chain Sword, and dozens of faces rushed through the Drift: Sensei, Tam, and Jake; Aleksis and Sasha Kaidonovsky; Chuck and Herc Hansen; Cheung, Hu, and Jin Wei; Raleigh and Yancy Becket.

* * *

The family dinners were among the highlights of retirement life. Mako and Raleigh had bought a small house with a massive dining room just so they could have their favorite people over for dinner. At first, their gatherings were small—Herc dropped by as often as his schedule allowed. Tendo eventually settled into a cozy retirement life with his own family, who made the trip from San Francisco to Tokyo as soon as their son was old enough.

Over time, their table grew as Jake and Jazmine reunited with their siblings, and then again as Jake rejoined the Jaeger Program and found family in Nate Lambert and Amara Namani.

"We might have to knock down a few walls," Mako joked one night as she squeezed around the massive dining table to clear the dishes.

"Or get a bigger house." Raleigh grinned.

They compromised on an outdoor dining area.


End file.
